Of Gills and Butterflies
by Briee
Summary: James and Lily accidentally meet in the Prefect's Bathroom. James has gills and Lily needs to help him out. Read and Review! One-Shot


James Potter shed his clothes and jumped into the giant bathtub that was in the prefect bathroom. The hot water felt good against his achy muscles and warmed him up after the rather chilly Quidditch practice.

Allowing himself to float amongst the colourful bubbles, he wondered why the Head's bathroom wasn't as wonderful as this. All there was in there was a toilet, a shower, a rather small (compared to this one of course) bathtub that could fit maybe two people, and a couple of sinks. Sure, the Head's bathroom was made of marble that changed with the house the Heads belonged to. Sure, the floor was heated for cold winter days. But nothing could compare to the wonderfulness of the giant bathtub in the prefect's bathroom.

James moved towards the sides of the bathtub to fish his wand out of his pants. He thought for a moment about the spell he wanted to use and suddenly remembered of one that he had read in the Restricted Section.

"_Aqua Spiritus."_

Gills suddenly grew out of James neck. He touched them gingerly before he smiled. He then put his wand back and slid down beneath the water, warming up his frozen nose.

_-_-_-_-_

Lily Evans marched towards the prefect's bathroom, ready to take a hot bath in the large tub. She hadn't planned on taking a bath here tonight, but she had been helping Professor Sprout spread dragon dung on some exotic plants in the greenhouse, and she felt stinky. Some lavender bubbles were what she was looking forward to the most.

The emptiness of the halls were creeping her out a little, so she began to hum to herself. It kept her company to the bathroom and before she knew it, she had arrived. Lily said the password and the door swung open. Heat radiated off the walls and Lily basked in it for a moment after putting a locking spell on the door. The water was always in the tub at perfect temperature, so the only thing Lily needed to do was turn on the tap for the lavender.

She wondered, not for the first time, why the tub was so much larger than a single person needed. But it was very old, and she supposed that in earlier centuries, when people were less concerned with privacy, several students might have used it at the same time. If so, she was glad they had stopped doing that. Imagine taking a bath with Bellatrix Black – ugh. As for sharing a bath with a boy… well that was never going to happen, so Lily banished the thought.

Once the water was to her liking, she took off her prefect's robe, draped it on a marble bench, and eased into the tub, still humming her song.

_-_-_-_-_

James, swimming beneath the water, got tired of not coming up for air and returned to the surface. He could hear a low humming that sounded like a song and he wondered if someone was in the room with him. He had heard stories of a ghost haunting the bathrooms, but she tended to moan, not sing.

He broke the surface and pushed aside the vast amount of bubbles. The smell of lavender assaulted his nose and James had to remember to keep his neck in the water until he got back to his wand. Though he could physically breathe and even talk, his lungs couldn't absorb air while the gills were in operation.

The room was slightly hazy from the steam, and he wasn't wearing his glasses, but James saw in the distance the flaming red hair of a woman he knew anywhere.

He started to freak out. Here they were, both naked. If he said anything, she could get scared and maybe curse him. But, she would hear him if he tried to get out, and he found the idea of her catching him jumping out of the water an embarrassing one.

However, he was saved from having to come up with a decision when Lily turned around. She saw his messy black hair contrasting with the colourful bubbles and she screamed.

"Potter! What the hell are you doing in here?" She would have covered her chest if she was afraid he could see it. Instead, she let herself sink just a tad bit father into the water so that only her head was visible.

"I was taking a bath." His voice came out funny and he realised it was the result of the gills. He reminded himself never to try that spell again.

"You didn't think of locking the door? _Boys!! _And you didn't hear me come in or something?" Lily's nerves were shooting up as she realised that they were both naked. She felt stupid for not having noticed another robe draped on the bench on the other side of the tub.

"Well, I didn't think of locking the door. I doubted anyone was going to come here at this time of night. And, I was under the water, that's why I didn't hear you."

"How bloody long were you under there? I've been in here for at least five minutes!"

"Uh, yeah…" James moved his neck out of the water for a moment, holding his breath while he did. It was a strange feeling.

Lily saw the gills moving and was speechless. Her eyes went round. "Bloody hell James… what did you do to yourself?" She hadn't even noticed her little slip. She felt herself worry about what happened.

"Well, I tried out this spell. It worked," James said, once he got his neck back in the water.

"It's not one we learnt in class. Let me guess: you found it in the restricted area of the library?"

"That obvious, eh?" James chuckled and his gills contracted. It tickled against his skin.

Lily swam over to where James was, glad for the cover of bubbles. The black haired boy just treaded water and waited for her to come closer. He tried insanely hard not to think about Lily's nudity and instead tried to think of Quidditch.

Once she got close enough, Lily reached out to touch the gills. She noticed they were skin colour and flapped every few seconds. For a moment, she was fascinated, but then next flap brought her back to reality. "Do you want me to change you back?" It wouldn't be the first time that a student tried out a cool spell and then couldn't stop it.

James grinned. "I love a woman who can take charge and help a bloke out."

Lily laughed and sighed more or less at the same time. She moved away from him to the side of the pool where her robe was. She suddenly turned to James and said "Don't look." The boy in question laughed but put his hands over his eyes. "No, turn around. You could easily peak between your fingers."

"Fine," he said. When the red-head was satisfied with his rotation, she placed her palms on the floor and lifted herself up. She felt cooler air attack her skin, as she dashed to the other side of the bench and knelt to fish around her pockets. Lily was glad that the marble wasn't cold.

James, as Lily got up on the tiles, slyly looked over his shoulder to catch a glimpse of her. He could see the curve of her spine and she moved higher to find her wand, making her bum peak out of the water. The black-haired boy took a shaky breath to steady himself and turned back around, staring dutifully at the wall instead.

A sudden tickle on his neck startled him and he touched the skin. The gills were gone and in its place was the stubble he hadn't shaved that morning. "Can I turn around now?"

"Give me a second!"

James waited a couple seconds before turning around and caught Lily sliding back into the water. She looked at him with wide eyes.

"Sorry! You said a second, and I gave you a few…" James was feeling slightly embarrassed, something he wasn't quite used to. But around Lily, he always felt different than normal.

"It's okay," she said quickly, wanting to avoid talking about it. "Are they gone?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"No problem."

The two Heads stared at each other, silence passing between them. The only sound was that of the bubbles popping and the mermaids in the painting on the wall giggling. It sounded far away and when Lily looked at it, she noticed that the mermaids were indeed far into the painting. She hoped that they hadn't paid attention to them because they were notorious for spreading the gossip they heard in the bathroom.

"So how are we going to get out of here?" Lily asked suddenly. "We can't stay in here forever."

James laughed. "Aww, ruining my fun, aren't you."

"Terribly sorry," Lily said, though her tone of voice indicated she was anything but. "Unfortunately, my arms and legs are beginning to tire out."

"So go stand in the shallow end."

"In your dreams! You may like to strut topless for people to see you, but I do not."

James began swimming closer to Lily. "But Lily, this room isn't crowded with people. There's only me, I won't judge."

"This is just some trick so that you can see me topless isn't it."

"If I say yes, will you be mad?" James kept swimming towards her and she found herself moving backwards to avoid him. Her feet touched the edge of the shallow end and it sloped upwards.

"I think very much that I would be mad."

"Then good thing I wasn't going to say yes."

Lily moved higher and higher and before she knew it, her shoulders were peaking out of the water. If she wanted to keep any decency she would have to remain there or buckle her knees. And if James continued his path towards her, which he was, being on her knees would definitely not be the best of ideas.

James' strides were powerful and before Lily knew it, he was swimming right in front of her. Her heart began racing in her chest and she was worried he could hear each thump.

The dark-haired boy moved past Lily and stood up in the shallow end. The bubbles started below his bellybutton and Lily's eyes were wide at the sight. It was no wonder girls fell for him; he had the body of a god.

"See, I'm not ashamed."

"Oh I can see that."

"Are you afraid?"

"I don't feel comfortable with the idea."

James laughed. "Oh Lily, don't be embarrassed."

"James, it's not decent."

"Oh, alright. If it'll make you happy."

James knelt in the water and it reached just below his shoulders. Lily swam a little closer and crouched in the water so that it covered her chest. She wanted to tell James that she was perfectly happy looking at his chest, the fine hairs sticking to his skin, making a bee-line for… The red-head took a breath. This was not the best thing to be thinking of at the moment. Fantasy was way too close to reality and Lily needed all of her brain power to help her out of this mess before she did something she might regret.

"I need to get out of the water. My fingers have turned to prunes." The red-head lifted her hand to show James the tips of her fingers, which had in fact wrinkled.

He laughed. "Fine. I'm guessing you won't let me watch you get out though, will you."

Lily giggled. "You wish."

"Ahh, yes I do," James sighed, with a dreamy smile on his face. "I do indeed."

The red-head rolled her eyes. "Turn around while I get out."

"Do I have to?"

"Yes!" Lily said, splashing some water at him. The bubbles seem to be popping at a faster rate than she liked and she wanted to get out before they showed too much.

James sighed and turned around. Lily quickly swam to the stairs and got out. A towel was waiting for her on the metallic rack and she quickly wrapped it around her body.

"You can look now," Lily said, turning around.

She found James staring at her from the water. "Yes, I know."

"Oh my god… you were looking the whole time weren't you?" Lily's eyes were wide in shock and she felt slightly sick.

"Lily, you're beautiful. I don't understand why you want to hide your body. Every inch is just so… perfect…" The way James was staring at her was giving her the chills, and, curiously enough, warming her in the most interesting places.

"James, that was not nice of you. I asked you not to look."

"Let me make it up to you." Lily hadn't noticed that he had moved to the stairs and when he got out of the water, she made herself look away. "Am I really that unattractive that you can't stand looking at me?"

"James, you're naked!" Lily squeaked. She had an urge to look towards him to see if he had covered himself, but she knew he wouldn't have.

"So are you. Beneath that towel, at least."

Lily could feel a lump in her throat. "Please, put a towel around you." After the sentence had come from her mouth, she found herself not wanting him to do so. It was frustrating.

James on the other hand found the whole thing slightly amusing. But he also wanted to help her see just how beautiful she was; and just how much she affected him.

"Lily, look at me."

"Not until you have a towel on to cover your bits."

"You are so bloody demanding woman."

"Towel. Now."

"Fine, fine." James turned to his right and another towel rack appeared. He grabbed the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "There. You can look now."

Lily peeked at him and when she was satisfied on his decency she faced him again. "That wasn't so bad, now was it?"

"Well, I must admit I quite like being naked."

Lily rolled her eyes. "Of course you do."

James moved forward. "I think you might have liked it too."

"Yeah, okay." Sarcasm dripped from her voice, but she could feel her cheeks heat slightly.

He took another step. "Lily, do you not believe me when I say that I fancy you? That I think you're beautiful?"

"I think you're just saying that because I'm the only girl who's turned you down." As James took a step, Lily tightened her hold on her towel.

"Yes, you are the only girl who's turned me down, but it's not the reason I say those things. They are true. Probably the thing I've ever meant the most to a girl."

"So you're basically telling me you lie to women?"

"Girls want to hear certain things. I enjoy giving them what they want."

"Oh I'm sure you do."

"Lily, what is it that you want?"

A million things were running through her head. The possibilities were endless really, especially at that moment. She looked in James' dark eyes and saw the desire in them. She knew what he wanted her to say. And she found herself wanting it as well.

"I want to leave this bathroom." The mermaids had noticed them and Lily didn't want this conversation to be repeated.

James raised a quizzical eyebrow but nodded. "Okay, let's get dressed." He was about to take off his towel when Lily raised her hand.

"I'm going to go into a stall to dress. Dammit, I want some privacy!"

"But you've already seen me naked, and I've seen you naked. We have nothing to hide."

"James…."

James sighed. "Fine."

Lily moved into a stall and quickly put on her nightgown. She draped her robe over her arm because it was too warm in the bathroom to put it on.

"Are you dressed?" she called out to James, hoping the answer was yes. When he answered in the positive, Lily looked out from the stall. James smiled at her and Lily couldn't help but smile back. She noticed that his glasses were back on, his clothes were under his arm and he was only wearing pyjama bottoms.

"Can we get out of here now?"

"Sure," James replied and stuck out his hand.

"No! People will talk if they see us come out together."

Once they had cleared the first corridor, James reached down to entwine his fingers with Lily's. The red-head didn't object and she was secretly happy. His hand was warm and oddly comforting. They stayed silent, however, during their whole walk. When they had entered their common room, Lily moved towards her door.

"Lils?"

Lily turned around. "I'm just going to put my clothes in my room."

"Come back out okay? We need to talk some more." James sounded unsure that the red-head was going to return.

"Okay, I'll come back out." Lily entered her room with a huge grin on her face. Dropping her clothes, she jumped up and down and had to hold back a squeal that was building in her throat.

James watched Lily go into her room and wanted nothing but to follow her and kiss her senseless. Maybe something more as well, but he tried not to let his thoughts stray.

He ran his hands through his wet hair and felt the tickle of water run down his neck. He had forgotten to dry his hair. He picked up his wand from the wad of clothes he threw on the floor when they had gotten in and used it to dry out his hair.

He threw his wand on the floor and ran his hand through his hair again. "Much better," he said out loud.

"What's better?" Lily asked, startling James slightly.

"Oh, it's nothing. My hair was wet and it was awkward to run my hand through it."

"Sure." Lily glanced at his hair. "So obviously you dried it."

"Obviously."

An awkward silence filled the room and Lily fiddled with her hands. "So what did you want to talk about?"

"What we were talking about before: I care about you a lot Lily. I wish you could give me a chance to prove it to you. Let me show you that I love you. Let me show you how much I want to be with you and no one else. No other girl holds the same appeal to me as you do, and I would be the happiest bloke around if you could be mine."

"Seriously? How do I know you aren't going to just up and dump me after you've gotten what you wanted from me, or when some other girl comes along."

James groaned. "Lily, get it through your head! I want you. For the longest time, it's been you." He took the few steps between them and took her in his arms. "You are the girl who is always in my mind. You are the girl who, when I see, my heart starts beating. I feel shy and embarrassed around you and those stupid butterflies that everyone always talks about fly around in my stomach when you're near. And no matter what I do, who I date or who I shag, all I think about is being with you, dating you, and making love to you."

"Oh Merlin, James." Lily hid her face in James' chest. Her cheeks were blazing and her emotions were on high. He definitely knew how to get under her skin, but this time, Lily had the sneaking suspicion that he was going to be staying there.

"I love you Lily. Let me show you."

Lily looked up at James. She didn't know what to say. At all. "Okay."

He leaned in and softly brushed his lips on hers. It was sweet and tender. And it made butterflies appear in both their stomachs. James pulled away, a silly grin his face. Lily was sure that her own smile matched his.

"I don't think you've proved it to me. I think I need another kiss."

James laughed and complied. This time, the kiss lasted longer.

_-_-_-_-_-_

A few months had gone by since the incident, and James and Lily were sitting on the sofa in the Head's common room.

"So Lils, want to be my girlfriend?"

The girl in question laughed. "I thought I was already."

"Well, I realised the other night that I never asked you."

"Oh well, I don't know…"

It was James' turn to laugh. He grabbed her so that she was lying between his legs. He wrapped his arms around her. "So? What's it going to be, love?"

"Ah, well I guess so." A smile was plastered on her face. She turned to face James and he leaned down to kiss her. Lily adjusted herself and she ended up lying on his chest. They kissed a bit more before they broke apart.

"I have a confession Lily. That night at the bath… well, I knew the reversal spell."

"You could have transformed yourself back?"

"Yeah. But I wanted to see you do it."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Because that told me that you've also read the books in the restricted section."

Lily laughed and James joined her.

The END


End file.
